Royal Boskalis Westminster has been appointed as the salvor for both tankers that were hit last week in the Gulf of Oman in a suspected attack. Shortly after, the incidents the insurers of both vessels appointed Boskalis subsidiary Smit Salvage to salvage the vessels and their cargo.
On Thursday two oil tankers, the Front Altair and Kokuka Courageous, in the Gulf of Oman were seriously damaged by fires that apparently resulted from an attack. Crew members had to be disembarked quickly. The United States of America and Saudi-Arabia blame Iran for the attacks, while Iran categorically rejects these US claims.
Front Altair Worrisome
The situation of the Front Altair with a cargo of naphtha is still worrisome. The crew was able to safely leave the ship and the fire was extinguished yesterday afternoon. A Smit salvage team was flown in to execute the salvage operation on site with accompanying specialist equipment.
Kokuga Courageous Towed to Port
The Kokuka Courageous with a methanol cargo on board is now in a stable condition. Here too the crew was able to safely leave the vessel after which the ship was stabilised. A towing connection was established yesterday afternoon and the crew was able to return to the vessel. The vessel is currently being towed to a port in the Gulf region.
The salvage operations are being carried out in close consultation with the relevant local authorities, including the Marine Emergency Mutual Aid Center (MEMAC).
